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Columbus Police Being Proactive Toward Heroin Problem

Last updated on Saturday, September 21, 2013

(COLUMBUS) - Columbus Public Safety spokesman Lt. Matt Myers has some strong words for those who are dealing heroin in Columbus and Bartholomew County.

"If you are dealing heroin in Columbus and Bartholomew County, we are aggressively going to try to get it stopped," Myers said. "And we will try to make a case and we will hopefully be able to make an arrest and get you behind bars."

Over the last six weeks or so, four people have overdosed from heroin use in Columbus and Bartholomew County. Myers says this is not just a problem here, but across the nation as well.

Police in Columbus are taking a proactive approach in dealing with the heroin problem. Myers says the narcotics unit has increased its undercover buys of heroin in the community. He adds police are also getting a lot of intelligence on those that are involved in the heroin trade locally. Patrols have also increased to try to put the brakes on heroin coming into Columbus.

Myers says heroin gives the community a whole different set of problems compared to what methamphetamine does.

"Locally, you can make methamphetamine...you can literally make it in your garage or you can make it in your vehicle and places like that if you have the right ingredients," Myers said. "With heroin obviously you can't make heroin in your garage, so they're transporting that in from the bigger cities. So we're putting an emphasis on interdiction."

Myers says dealing with heroin is not just a law enforcement issue, but a community issue too and needs to be addressed especially with children in the community. He says police have started a push to educate you about heroin. So if you are interested in knowing more about it, information is available at the police department for free. Just stop by weekdays from 8 to 6 and pick some up.

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